The Strange and Inscrutable Case of Ezra Pound (poet):
Ezra Pound used an "ideogrammic method", where he used his mind to develop a vivid thought, go into a different topic diverted from it, and allowed the reader's anticipation to grow and depict a personal memory or connection.
he was a modernist- a clique of artists and culturists who disagreed with the 19th century social, political, and economic views of life and welcomed upcoming change.
his views on politics were out of perspective and just plain wrong, but his abstract literature was brilliant to many.
third high-exposure treason case held in the U.S.- he broadcasted propaganda in favor of Mussolini in Italy, betryaing his home of the United States.
His radio broadcasts were so out of order that, for a while, Italian officials suspected he was sending out cryptic messages to the military when he was really expressing his hatred for people with different aspects of life, not of his thought process, and talking of their extermination to cleanse society.
his works progressed after Hemingway, Eliot, Joyce, and Frost in particular
his poetry was based off of japanese and chinese styles of prose called "imagism"
"compose in the sequence of the musical phrase, not in the sequence of the metronome." -Ezra pound
In 1924, he moved to Italy, where he started focusing on Fascist politics, and came back to the states in 1945, to be committed to St. Elizabeths mental institution.
Dismissed from St Elizabeth's went the courts read his poetry and found it impressive
Twentieth Century Literature was influenced by Eliot, Joyce, and Pound
Modernists were not viewed as liable people when the war started
Darwin's Theory of Evolution posed a threat to people by religious belifs and individuality
people were unsure of what to expect for future society
T. S. Eliot wrote a poem about Europe becoming a wasteland, and in this was an example of how modernist poets were trying to enhance "spirit of the times" or Zeitgeist in their literature
Pound wrote for the Vorticist newspaper called "Blast" - the vorticists envisioned a downfall in Western Civilization and called for order in all situations
the newspaper was called "Blast" because Vorticists wanted to "blast" in a change of society
Pound and Eliot agreed that poetry should become more urbane, and they turned to Europe, thinking they could change over there
Pound didn't care so much about his audience's opinion, but about reliving his experiences through words, which is why he moved from England to France; the French approved more of creativity and art
Eliot revered Pound as the greater artist with shocking phrases and words, and although Eliot's writing structure was strong, the structure was due to Pound's editing
Pound originally set out to write 100 cantos in Bach-type compostion, with no chronology, plot, or solution, but illness and seclusion from society buffered his plan and he only succeeded in writing a few
neglecting that he wanted to write more, his "cantos" were still his gratest works, as they spoke of metamorphis and the light of Paradiso
Pound, Joyce, and Eliot all toyed with literature and had they not, literature today wouldnt be so ornate and exciting
Article: Ezra Pound and the Ideology of Art; Ezra Pound and the Visual Culture of Modernism. (critical essay)
Pound critiqued not only poems, but with visual art likewise, posing for Lewis, Gaurdier, and Coburn and advising them based on his views in modernism
He couldn't only be viewed as a modernist because he was also a critic of art
Ezra Pound
created a bridge for british and american writers to derive work from one another
Made modernism more popular and widely known, more for the the betterment in society than not
Pounds "A Retrospect"- including "A few dont's"
Pound didn't believe in given space, but always free space for ideas to grow
thought it was better to produce one large image in life, rather than multiple miniscule ones
his list he turned to for literary advice embraced "economy of words, demanding direct treatment, and the sequence of musical phrase"
didn't take advice from those who had never produced memorable works
never used adjectives that had no meaning to what he would describe
thought the important symbols in poetry were the ordinary objects
supported abstract work; didnt believe in retelling something at all if you didnt say it right
treated poetry like music; thought both forms of art were extremely important and thought you should spend equal time on either
Let as many people influence you as possible, so you can strive to become better or crique others professionally
thought to do something with full strength or not do it at all; dont only give half effort
Poetry doesnt have to rely on music, but should it do so, it should awe the listener
Let the poet know its literary terms as the musician knows of their musical definitions
Don't expect to be praised until you have proved something
Don't let the rhythm of your words take the meaning away from what the meaning is of what you're trying to say
When you use a rhyme, give it meaning to please and be subtle and not sound... awkward.
Use appealing language in your writing; if you use foreing language, use it so the reader still understands your topic
Translation is essential; you should be able to rewrite your words so that it has the same meaning as the original
If you make your writing even, don't add garbage just to fill up the page
Put something in perspective so you still see what you originally planned, look for the exact words that fit your phrase
Pound's top three essentials on his list eliminated 9/10 of bad poetry according to him.
He didn't like to write about art but write "against it"
"Only emotion endures"- Ezra pound
Pound and Fascism
Although Pound turned into a fascist thinker, his poems were relatively reasonable and more peaceful than not
Pound turned to fascism when times were getting tougher and he didn't know who to turn to
Fascism was neither for the socialists or conservatives as much as they tried to collaborate the two
People started giving up and just blaming anyone they could which is why the Jews turned into a target to the Jews and Italians in WWII.
Pound was Catholic
Pound's radio broadcasting spoke of how Mussolini and Hitler were saviors of Europe against the Jewish "Conspiracy"
Pound thought he hated the Jews but in his writing, he appears envious above all
However some of his works were "Hitler worthy" and how he despised the Jews, more in his later works though
Pound's Life and Career
Pound thought of London as a new Renaissance
His cantos featured his new thoughts on economics
At St. Elizabeths, he wrote two more secret poems, one "Rock Drill," and the other "Thrones", both translations of Confucian transcripts
Pound was the leader in the modern movement, for renewing English poetry in the 1910s
His last years alive were filled with lacking confidence and doubt
Pound is one of the most polarizing poets. His politics detract from his creativity and engenius poetry
Seen also as an elitist, obscurist, and a charlatan, somebody never really knowing himself
Selected WWII Broadcasts
Pound believed that Germany was not the enemy but that "money on loan" was as he was reffering to Jews who controlled financing at the bank
Didn't favor FDR
Told people on the broadcasts that, thanks to them, the war with America was going to be bad
Thought the Americans should want to exterminate the Jews also.
What Ez Could Do
Grandson of Wadsworth Longfellow
First poem was about presidential Election of 1896
He met Mussolini which changed his political views forever unfortunately
Compared Hitler to Joan of Arc in some of his writing, based on her saving Catholicism
starting out as a school teacher, his landladies accused him of inappropriate relations with an actress so he moved to Italy to start over
Didn't appreciate American Literature
Although he was a brilliant poet, few people read him compared to his colleagues
Although he was seen as intellectual, he still intimidated and/or scared many Americans
After he left St. Elizabeth's, he became a loner in society
his writing is not imparative for somebody to know, but his fluency catches the eyes of college professors as material students should read nowadays
Ellen Roddy Mr. Shupp English 9 12-8-10
The Polarizing Controversy of Ezra Pound and His Literature Ezra Pound is one of the most polarizing writers of the 20th century, with his style of writing, opinions on world controversies, and influential critiquing skills. People revered him as a mastermind poet, or a confused Fascist, but people who know of him today, of the few that do, would probably have mixed emotions on his reactions to both aspects of society. Pound’s writing is exotic compared to other famous poets of his era. He combined his technique with that of the Chinese and Japanese culture, called “imagism” to write. He would vividly describe a topic, find another topic somewhat diverted from it, and then let anticipation set in on the reader to allow their mind to create personal allusions to his works. Instead of imagism though, he called his system the “ideogrammic method”. Pound also combined the English he used in his poetry with a hint of other languages, to add a subtle appeal. Poets who greatly influenced him were Frost, Joyce, Hemingway, and Longfellow (grandfather on his mother’s side). Being a relative of Longfellow, it was obvious he picked up a fondness for poetry.
Ezra Pound was a modernist, or slightly Vorticist, along with few artists of his time. In America, he wrote for the Vorticist newspaper called “The Blast” because this clique of people wanted to “blast” into a newly changed culture. They looked to Europe for a more urbane lifestyle. People start to lose all interest in Pound however, when they discover his Fascist beliefs. He wasn’t always Fascist though. In fact, he was always at least semi-patriotic but meeting Mussolini when he moved to Rapallo changed his thoughts forever, for the worse, in 1924. He did many broadcasts throughout Europe, stating all of his opinions, how America and Italy shouldn't be in WWII against each other and how the Jews should be exterminated.
Ezra Pound used an "ideogrammic method", where he used his mind to develop a vivid thought, go into a different topic diverted from it, and allowed the reader's anticipation to grow and depict a personal memory or connection.
he was a modernist- a clique of artists and culturists who disagreed with the 19th century social, political, and economic views of life and welcomed upcoming change.
his views on politics were out of perspective and just plain wrong, but his abstract literature was brilliant to many.
third high-exposure treason case held in the U.S.- he broadcasted propaganda in favor of Mussolini in Italy, betryaing his home of the United States.
His radio broadcasts were so out of order that, for a while, Italian officials suspected he was sending out cryptic messages to the military when he was really expressing his hatred for people with different aspects of life, not of his thought process, and talking of their extermination to cleanse society.
his works progressed after Hemingway, Eliot, Joyce, and Frost in particular
his poetry was based off of japanese and chinese styles of prose called "imagism"
"compose in the sequence of the musical phrase, not in the sequence of the metronome." -Ezra pound
In 1924, he moved to Italy, where he started focusing on Fascist politics, and came back to the states in 1945, to be committed to St. Elizabeths mental institution.
Dismissed from St Elizabeth's went the courts read his poetry and found it impressive
Twentieth Century Literature was influenced by Eliot, Joyce, and Pound
- people were unsure of what to expect for future society
- T. S. Eliot wrote a poem about Europe becoming a wasteland, and in this was an example of how modernist poets were trying to enhance "spirit of the times" or Zeitgeist in their literature
- Pound wrote for the Vorticist newspaper called "Blast" - the vorticists envisioned a downfall in Western Civilization and called for order in all situations
- the newspaper was called "Blast" because Vorticists wanted to "blast" in a change of society
- Pound and Eliot agreed that poetry should become more urbane, and they turned to Europe, thinking they could change over there
- Pound didn't care so much about his audience's opinion, but about reliving his experiences through words, which is why he moved from England to France; the French approved more of creativity and art
- Eliot revered Pound as the greater artist with shocking phrases and words, and although Eliot's writing structure was strong, the structure was due to Pound's editing
- Pound originally set out to write 100 cantos in Bach-type compostion, with no chronology, plot, or solution, but illness and seclusion from society buffered his plan and he only succeeded in writing a few
- neglecting that he wanted to write more, his "cantos" were still his gratest works, as they spoke of metamorphis and the light of Paradiso
- Pound, Joyce, and Eliot all toyed with literature and had they not, literature today wouldnt be so ornate and exciting
Article: Ezra Pound and the Ideology of Art; Ezra Pound and the Visual Culture of Modernism. (critical essay)Modernists were not viewed as liable people when the war started
Darwin's Theory of Evolution posed a threat to people by religious belifs and individuality
- Pound critiqued not only poems, but with visual art likewise, posing for Lewis, Gaurdier, and Coburn and advising them based on his views in modernism
- He couldn't only be viewed as a modernist because he was also a critic of art
Ezra Pound- created a bridge for british and american writers to derive work from one another
- Made modernism more popular and widely known, more for the the betterment in society than not
Pounds "A Retrospect"- including "A few dont's"- Pound didn't believe in given space, but always free space for ideas to grow
- thought it was better to produce one large image in life, rather than multiple miniscule ones
- his list he turned to for literary advice embraced "economy of words, demanding direct treatment, and the sequence of musical phrase"
- didn't take advice from those who had never produced memorable works
- never used adjectives that had no meaning to what he would describe
- thought the important symbols in poetry were the ordinary objects
- supported abstract work; didnt believe in retelling something at all if you didnt say it right
- treated poetry like music; thought both forms of art were extremely important and thought you should spend equal time on either
- Let as many people influence you as possible, so you can strive to become better or crique others professionally
- thought to do something with full strength or not do it at all; dont only give half effort
- Poetry doesnt have to rely on music, but should it do so, it should awe the listener
- Let the poet know its literary terms as the musician knows of their musical definitions
- Don't expect to be praised until you have proved something
- Don't let the rhythm of your words take the meaning away from what the meaning is of what you're trying to say
- When you use a rhyme, give it meaning to please and be subtle and not sound... awkward.
- Use appealing language in your writing; if you use foreing language, use it so the reader still understands your topic
- Translation is essential; you should be able to rewrite your words so that it has the same meaning as the original
- If you make your writing even, don't add garbage just to fill up the page
- Put something in perspective so you still see what you originally planned, look for the exact words that fit your phrase
- Pound's top three essentials on his list eliminated 9/10 of bad poetry according to him.
- He didn't like to write about art but write "against it"
- "Only emotion endures"- Ezra pound
Pound and Fascism- Although Pound turned into a fascist thinker, his poems were relatively reasonable and more peaceful than not
- Pound turned to fascism when times were getting tougher and he didn't know who to turn to
- Fascism was neither for the socialists or conservatives as much as they tried to collaborate the two
- People started giving up and just blaming anyone they could which is why the Jews turned into a target to the Jews and Italians in WWII.
- Pound was Catholic
- Pound's radio broadcasting spoke of how Mussolini and Hitler were saviors of Europe against the Jewish "Conspiracy"
- Pound thought he hated the Jews but in his writing, he appears envious above all
- However some of his works were "Hitler worthy" and how he despised the Jews, more in his later works though
Pound's Life and Career- Pound thought of London as a new Renaissance
- His cantos featured his new thoughts on economics
- At St. Elizabeths, he wrote two more secret poems, one "Rock Drill," and the other "Thrones", both translations of Confucian transcripts
- Pound was the leader in the modern movement, for renewing English poetry in the 1910s
- His last years alive were filled with lacking confidence and doubt
- Pound is one of the most polarizing poets. His politics detract from his creativity and engenius poetry
- Seen also as an elitist, obscurist, and a charlatan, somebody never really knowing himself
Selected WWII Broadcasts- Pound believed that Germany was not the enemy but that "money on loan" was as he was reffering to Jews who controlled financing at the bank
- Didn't favor FDR
- Told people on the broadcasts that, thanks to them, the war with America was going to be bad
- Thought the Americans should want to exterminate the Jews also.
What Ez Could DoEllen Roddy
Mr. Shupp
English 9
12-8-10
The Polarizing Controversy of Ezra Pound and His Literature
Ezra Pound is one of the most polarizing writers of the 20th century, with his style of writing, opinions on world controversies, and influential critiquing skills. People revered him as a mastermind poet, or a confused Fascist, but people who know of him today, of the few that do, would probably have mixed emotions on his reactions to both aspects of society.
Pound’s writing is exotic compared to other famous poets of his era. He combined his technique with that of the Chinese and Japanese culture, called “imagism” to write. He would vividly describe a topic, find another topic somewhat diverted from it, and then let anticipation set in on the reader to allow their mind to create personal allusions to his works. Instead of imagism though, he called his system the “ideogrammic method”. Pound also combined the English he used in his poetry with a hint of other languages, to add a subtle appeal. Poets who greatly influenced him were Frost, Joyce, Hemingway, and Longfellow (grandfather on his mother’s side). Being a relative of Longfellow, it was obvious he picked up a fondness for poetry.
Ezra Pound was a modernist, or slightly Vorticist, along with few artists of his time. In America, he wrote for the Vorticist newspaper called “The Blast” because this clique of people wanted to “blast” into a newly changed culture. They looked to Europe for a more urbane lifestyle. People start to lose all interest in Pound however, when they discover his Fascist beliefs. He wasn’t always Fascist though. In fact, he was always at least semi-patriotic but meeting Mussolini when he moved to Rapallo changed his thoughts forever, for the worse, in 1924. He did many broadcasts throughout Europe, stating all of his opinions, how America and Italy shouldn't be in WWII against each other and how the Jews should be exterminated.
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